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“Erm. Okay so if I had a good tea tasting weekend, today must have been miserable. So don’t stay away from this one cuz of my review, k folks???
Anyhow, I made it through four steeps. The first was...”
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“Oh man, this is good. I was iffy on picking some up, but the person at the counter convinced me to give it try, and I’m glad I did.
This is a fairly green oolong, that smelled every so faintly...”
Read full tasting note

3 Tasting Notes

Erm. Okay so if I had a good tea tasting weekend, today must have been miserable. So don’t stay away from this one cuz of my review, k folks???
Anyhow, I made it through four steeps. The first was incredible.
Flowers drizzled in honey having a party on my tongue. Oh yes, I was mightily impressed!
but then the second steep had a distinct and sharp bitterness about it that took me very much by surprise. The orchid honey note was still present, but hugged on both ends by a sharp vegetal bite. (I don’t think I burnt it, but I suppose it’s possible. I remember waiting atleast one minute, more likely three, before dunking my ceramic tea filter with the leaves in it)
Oh maybe I used too much leaf? I used my perfect tea spoon, and it was just slightly below the full mark. Except even after my last infusion, the leaves didn’t fully expand. Almost as if they didn’t have enough room?
Bah.
The third and fourth steeps were unremarkable, pretty standard for a greenish oolong… and touched by that sweet round aftertaste I find in later infusions of tea. I used to get it on the fifth or sixth steep, but now with my issues it seems to creep up earlier. I can’t say I like it, in fact I really can’t stand it. but then I can’t mention it either in a review because I doubt that it’s a true feature of the tea…
Anyone have any similar experiences? or not? I know it’s likely just me but I though I’d check!

Butting in here, but it’s 82 degrees, Amy. :) And if you’re ever not sure about the temperature conversion, Google has this nifty feature in that the Google search bar will actually do a LOT of conversions for you! Go to Google and type in “180 degrees F” and see what comes up at the top of the page.

Amy: I agree!! but why would it show up on the second steep and not the first? also my thermometer doesn’t reach all the way into the mug so I have no way of determining the true temp. I usually end up just guessing…

Oh man, this is good. I was iffy on picking some up, but the person at the counter convinced me to give it try, and I’m glad I did.

This is a fairly green oolong, that smelled every so faintly roasted in the bag, without much else in the way of smell. But the taste, oh my. Really intense orchid notes, distinct honey, a touch vegetal and an incredibly long, sweet finish, where the orchid just lingers and lingers.

Toward the end of my cup there’s a bit of astringency developing, but the first 2/3s were smooth, and the sensation is only mildly drying and not unpleasant.

I just grabbed this from my untried box because I figured I should take a break from black teas, and I wasn’t expecting much, but I’m pretty blown away. This is a fantastic oolong.

Edit: Tasty enough to warrant a second steep. This one is more vegetal with subtler honey and orchid notes.

Flavors: Astringent, Floral, Honey, Orchid, Sweet, Vegetal

Preparation

I’ve only done two western steeps, and I might move on to something else after I finish this cup, or I might go for one more. It’s pretty tasty, I just rarely want more than one cup of anything in a row, never mind three.

The Tea Emporium seems to have a so-so reputation here on Steepster, but I’ve been really pleased with many of the teas I’ve purchased from them, particularly the straight teas and flavoured blacks.